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Russell Conwell and Temple University

Russell Conwell and Temple University. By Eric Turcott. By Eric Turcott. Background. Born February 15, 1843 near South Worthington, MA. Grew up on a farm and was extremely poor. His mother had a strong faith in Jesus. Would read him sermons of Henry Ward Beecher.

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Russell Conwell and Temple University

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  1. Russell Conwell and Temple University By Eric Turcott

  2. By Eric Turcott

  3. Background • Born February 15, 1843 near South Worthington, MA. • Grew up on a farm and was extremely poor. His mother had a strong faith in Jesus. Would read him sermons of Henry Ward Beecher. • Worked his way through Wilbraham Academy with his brother Charles. • Went to Yale briefly in 1861 but left to join the army and quickly became captain at 19. Speeches left people in awe.

  4. Conversion • While at Yale, Russell came to the conclusion that "There is no God.” (Burr, 2004, Ch. VII). He had a hard time at Wilbraham Academy but even harder at Yale. • Was wounded in the battle in the Kenesaw mountain by a Confederate shell and was left for dead. • He realized while he was dying that he had lived for himself. While laying on the ground waiting to die he became a Christian.

  5. Ministry • Left law practice and was ordained in 1879 in Lexington, MA. • Invited to Pastor Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia in 1882 by a Deacon who was visiting Lexington. • Grace Baptist Church could seat 1200 and not even a year had passed before it became “standing room only.” • Story of Hattie’s Wiatt’s 57 cents starting raising money for a new building. • In 1886 the land was purchased at Broad and Berks for 25,000. In 1891 the Church was officially open. Name changed to Baptist Temple. (Burr, 2004, Ch.xx).

  6. Baptist Temple

  7. Temple college • Conwell had the idea for Temple College while he was giving food to the poor. He didn’t have enough and people were still starving. He visited a sick person who was rich but had one son in jail and one running from police. Conwell saw education as being the answer. • Temple college started with 7 men who wanted to be ministers studying with Conwell in December of 1884. At first the college was free and had a Theology program. • "The churches must institute schools for those whom the public does not educate, and must educate them along the lines they cannot reach in the public schools.”- Russell Conwell (Burr, 2004, Ch. XXVIII). Spoken during a speech to the Baptists Ministers’ Conference in Philadelphia.

  8. Conwell’s Vision • "Friends, to-day we do something more than simply lay the corner stone of a college building. We do an act here very simply that shows to the world, and will go on testifying after we have gone to our long rest, that the church of Jesus Christ is not only an institution of theory, but an institution of practice. It will stand here upon this great and broad street and say through the coming years to all passersby, 'Christianity means something for the good of humanity; Christianity means not only a belief in things that are good and pure and righteous, but it also means an activity that shall bless those who need the assistance of others.'- Russell Conwell 1889. (Burr, 2004, Ch. XXVIII).

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